Scout School – Dr. Phillip Roberts:

Insect scouting schools will be conducted on June 7, 2021 in Tifton and June 15, 2021 in Midville. Crops to be covered include cotton, peanuts, and soybean.  These programs offer basic information on insect pest identification and damage, natural enemies, and scouting procedures.  The training will serve as an introduction to insect monitoring for new scouts and as a review for experienced scouts and producers. Program topics include, Bug and Larval Insect Pests, Beneficial Insects, Scouting Procedures, Safety, and an In-Field Review. Each program will begin at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at 12:30 p.m.

The Tifton Scout School on June 7, 2021 will also be offered online using Zoom.  Click the link below if you would like to participate in the virtual training.

https://zoom.us/j/99567481742?pwd=dGxpeDhsMVNBcWVMWmg3QVRWQlZSZz09

LocationCityDateTimeContact for additional information
Tifton Campus Conference CenterTifton GAJune 7, 20219:00 am -12:30pmTearston Adams (229) 386-3374
Southeast Research and Education CenterMidville GAJune 15, 20219:00 am -12:30pmPeyton Sapp (706) 554-2119

Heat or Herbicides? – Dr. Stanley Culpepper:

“Next week (this past week) is shaping up to be a challenging week for cotton planting, similar to late May of 2019. Remember that soil temperatures greatly influence cotton emergence, Figure 1 (below) includes a graph from a USDA manuscript sharing the relationship of lateral cotton root development as influenced by soil temperature (McMichael and Burke, Environmental and Experimental Botany, Vol 34, I added the F temperatures to their graph). Take special note the highest soil temperature that they studied was 104 F; next week we could easily exceed 115 F if predicted air temperature and lack of cloud predictions are accurate. Back in 2019, most blamed herbicides for the lack in cotton stand when in fact most issues were a result of high soil temperatures. Thus, Figure 1 also shares different levels of visual symptoms of cotton damage from hot soils (pictures from no-herbicide control plots). Any factor cooling soils may have a positive influence. For example, one of Camp Hands graduate projects conducted during late May of 2019 noted 35% better stands with a rye cover crop compared to tilled systems; although stand was reduced in both systems.”

Herbicides and Dusting in Cotton – Can be Mighty Challenging – Dr. Stanley Culpepper:

“The most effective approach to minimize cotton injury from preemergence (PRE) herbicides is to place the cotton seed in moist soil where it can imbibe (absorb) clean water free of herbicides (Figure 1 – below). Next, we need our cotton roots to “out run” the herbicide as the herbicide is moving down into the soil with rainfall or irrigation. When placing cotton seed in dry soil and then applying a PRE herbicide, it is likely impossible for water to get to the seed without being contaminated with the herbicide causing a much greater potential for injury.”

“Thus, dusting cotton in and applying PRE herbicides is far from ideal in regards to avoiding cotton injury. The next thought from every grower, is to hold off on the herbicides until the cotton emerges. This thought is extremely dangerous when considering the monumental challenges our family farms face with herbicide resistance in Palmer amaranth. However, it may be the only option in some environments. If one does follow the path of not using PRE herbicides and planting cotton into dry soils, there are several key points to consider.

First, there needs to be no weeds emerged (especially Palmer) when the cotton seed is placed in dry soil. If there is, get the backhoe out to dig the Palmer up later in the year. In theory, if the field is weed-free when dusting cotton in the soil then no additional weeds should emerge until it rains.

Second, the first postemergence herbicide application should occur as soon as the cotton is fully emerged; the treatment must kill emerged weeds and must include residual herbicides. The level of selection pressure placed on the postemergence herbicide in this situation is very high and not sustainable in time.

Third, a second postemergence herbicide application should be made 12 to 15 days later and again include a residual product, this timing assumes you were timely with the first postemergence application. If you were not timely, the interval needs to be tightened down following label recommendations.

And finally, the value of the layby application in fields without a PRE increases astronomically in regards to herbicide sustainability. Although it is time consuming, it is still better than pulling pigweed!”